A word from Marburg
pp. 83-93
in: , Non-metaphysical theology after Heidegger, Berlin, Springer, 2016Abstract
Dillard explains how Rudolf Otto's phenomenology of the holy initially offers a powerful tool for developing Gelassenheit theology. Otto describes the holy as a numenal object with two main attributes: mysterium tremendums, a daunting awfulness that causes us to shudder before the holy; and mysterium fascinans, an intense fascination that draws us to it. Dillard argues that Otto's idea of the holy as a non-rational phenomenon 'schematized" by rational concepts blocks the young Heidegger's objection that Otto treats the holy as something wholly irrational and incomprehensible. However, a serious ontological antinomy must be squarely confronted: Otto fails to explain why there is only one numenal divine object, as opposed to a pair of ontologically distinct numenal divine objects. Dillard considers some possible replies on Otto's behalf and finds them lacking, thus setting the stage for a resolution of the ontological antinomy in the following chapter.